Northern Michigan University President, Dr. Les Wong, joined Mark and Walt today to discuss the latest updates in the world of NMU. Dr. Wong recently returned from Lansing where he and his fellow public university presidents testified in the state legislature about the proposed 15-plus percent cuts in higher education funding put forth by Michigan’s new Governor, Rick Snyder. He talked about the impacts this level of cuts would have on the University from both the staffing and programming level.

Dr. Wong also chatted about some upcoming construction projects on campus as well as the recent visit by President Barack Obama. Also discussed was the latest on the recent threat of shootings at the university.

To listen to the interview with Dr. Wong, please click “HERE“. For more about Northern Michigan University, please click “HERE” to log on their website.

Ahhhhh! A sure sign of spring is upon us. It’s St. Patrick’s Day. The day where many of us celebrate the Irish spirit with Irish spirits and the wearin’ o’ the green!

When I was getting dressed this morning I thought that I should wear something green and what’s more appropriate that an Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packer jersey? Looks pretty good, doesn’t it?

As I said this morning, it’s not so much “Erin Go Bragh” as it is “Aaron! Go Long!”

THE ECONOMIC CLUB OF MARQUETTE COUNTY MEETS AGAIN!

TOM BALDINI OF THE ECON CLUB.

Tom Baldini, immediate past president with the Economic Club of Marquette County joined Mark and Walt to talk about their next monthly gathering.

It’s this Monday night at 6 at the Ramada Inn in Marquette and will feature Dr. Charles Ballard, Professor of Economics at Michigan State University as the guest speaker.

You can listen to the interview with Tom by clicking “HERE“. To log on to the official website for the Economic Club of Marquette County, please click “HERE“.

U 19 WOMEN’S HOCKEY IS HEADED TO THE NATIONALS!

SYDNEY, ABBY and COACH AMENSON.

The Advantedge Sports Training U 19 Women’s Hockey team, based in Marquette, is heading to National Competition in Anaheim, California.

The coach of the squad, Laura Amenson, and two of the players, Sydney Sarasin and Abby Esbrook, stopped in at the Sunny Studios to chat about their success as well as the challenges still ahead of them.

They also told us about an upcoming chance for folks to see them play and help out financially to alleviate some of the expenses of getting the team to California. To listen to their interview, please click “HERE“. And for more about the team, please click “HERE“.

HAVE A HAPPY ST. PATTY’S DAY!

Be safe and enjoy yourselves! Use a designated driver and watch out for the cabbage!

Hey gang! Lots of things are going on around Marquette County today and tonight. Don’t forget the USOEC-organized wrestling exhibition going on at Westwood High School as well the Negaunee Miners moving on in the High School Basketball Playoffs. And , of course, don’t miss the annual Pigs – N – Heat charity hockey game tonight at 7 at Lakeview Arena in Marquette. Gotta love it when a Wednesday night in Marquette County is almost more packed than a weekend!

COFFEE TALK WITH WITH SENATOR CARL LEVIN.

U.S. SENATOR CARL LEVIN

Michigan’s Senior U.S. Senator Carl Levin called in this morning to chat about a hearing that was held yesterday in Washington, D.C. by Senate Armed Services Committee about the future plans for U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan. Senator Levin discussed the testimony given by General David Petraeus, Commander of the U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan to update the status of military developments in connection with the U.S. strategy to start bringing our troops home in July of this year.

He also discussed a series of parameters and conditions that must be met before troop withdrawl begins on any large scale, and the various scenarios the President will look at before making any final decision.

Brian Peters, Executive Vice President of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, called in to discuss Enroll Michigan. It is a coalition of Michigan hospitals, school districts and community health centers which has launched a campaign to enroll eligible children in Michigan to one of the state’s free or low-cost health insurance programs. They are either MIChild or Healthy Kids.

They have created a website that makes the sign up an easy process in an attempt to get more children covered for health care in Michigan.

To listen to the interview, please click “HERE“. To log on to the new Enroll Michigan website, please click “HERE“.

Somebody asked me yesterday why the show blog has been a little quiet lately. I told them that while I always say (rather tongue-in-cheek) that computers are our friends, I found out the other day that viruses are truly the bane of the existence of a modern, computer-driven broadcast operation. As you can see from the picture posted here, the computer I use in my office to do the bulk of work on the blog was knocked out of commission by a nasty virus. Interestingly enough, it was only discovered AFTER the virus hit that there was no anti-virus protection on my computer in the first place. SNORT!!

Anyway, I am working on getting items posted as soon as I can while working at other network work stations as best as I can. So far, so good, but I’m still somewhat behind. Just bear with me and the stuff will be there!! On that note, here’s a couple of bits from this morning’s edition of Mark & Walt in the Morning:

THREE TENORS SING IT OUT IN A YOOPER STYLE, EH?

SMILIN' PAUL TRUCKEY!

Longtime friend of the program and theater promoter Paul Truckey, with the Forest Roberts Theater First Nighter’s Club at Northern Michigan University, joined Mark & Walt to talk about a fun evening that is coming up that is also a fund raiser for the club. The performance is entitled, “The Three Tenors of the U.P.” and features performances by Truckey as well as Rusty Bowers and Jeff Spencer. The trio will be singing a selection of broadway show tunes and selections from the American Songbook this Saturday evening (March 19-th) at 7:30 at the Forest Roberts Theater on campus.

All proceeds raised will go to benefit the scholarship programs of the First Nighter’s Club. For more on the evening’s performances and where you can get tickets, please click “HERE” to listen to Paul’s interview. For more on this event and others going on at the FRT, please click “HERE“.

FROM THE STAGE TO THE WRESTLING RING.

USOEC COACH ROB HERMANN

Rob Hermann, Greco-Roman Wrestling Coach with the United States Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University, stopped in at the Sunny Studios to talk about a special event that is happening tomorrow night (March 16-th) at Westwood High School. The USOEC, along with Westwood Youth Wrestling and Westwood High School are presenting an evening of wrestling featuring wrestlers from the United States Marine Corps and Japan. The event gets underway at 6-pm and open to the public. Most importantly…it’s our favorite “F” word, “free”.

To listen to Coach Hermann’s interview to find out more about the competitors and the evening’s planned events, please click “HERE“.

THAT’S A WRAP!

Now there’s a versatile show! Theater to wrestling. Interestingly enough, both events are tied to Northern Michigan University. Just goes to show you the mix of things the university brings into our lives here in Marquette County. I guess it’s really agood thing it’s here…don’t ya think?

MARCH IS COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO BE AWARE ABOUT.

VICKI RAKOWSKI

Vicki Rakowski, with the American Cancer Society, called in recently to discuss March being Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and the importance of early detection in surviving this form of cancer. She also outlined risk factors and other guidelines such as age and family history. She also talked about how important it is to talk to your doctor about this cancer and to get past any embarrassment there my be associated in your mind about it. She also mentioned about not fearing the testing and why it needs to be done.

You can listen to the interview with Vicki, please click “HERE“. For more information and guidelines for early detection, please click “HERE” to visit the website of the American Cancer Society.

RELAYING FOR LIFE ON CAMPUS AND IN TOWN!

CARL FULSHER

Carl Fulsher, local representative for the American Cancer Society, joined Mark and Walt in the Morning to talk about the upcoming Relay for Life on the campus of Northern Michigan University. The NMU Relay will be held on March 25-th and 26-th on campus and will feature all of the same elements of Relays that are held around the region every year. He also chatted about the upcoming community Relay for Life that will be coming up in a few months in Marquette County.

In his usual energetic way, Carl outlined what happens at a Relay for Life and why it is such an intense yet fun celebration of survivors of cancer and a remembrance of those who we have lost to cancer.

To find out how you can get involved in the fight against cancer, click “HERE” to listen to the interview with Carl. You can visit the ACS website by clicking “HERE“.

A NEW OPTION IN THE TREATMENT OF CANCER IS ESTABLISHED HERE AT HOME.

DR. DAN ARNOLD

Dr. Dan Arnold, Oncologist/Hematologist with Marquette General Health Systems and Superior Health Partners, and Director of the MGHS Cancer Center, joined Mark and Walt recently to talk about that group becoming a member of the Great Lakes Cancer Institute. The GLCI is a network of hospitals around Michigan that are similar in size to MGH and work together to participate in clinical trials and other programs to develop more options and plans when it comes to treating cancer.

Joining the network allows cancer patients here in Marquette County and around the Upper Peninsula to get top-level cancer treatment close to home.
To listen to the interview with Dr. Arnold, please click “HERE“. For more about the Great Lakes Cancer Institute, please click “HERE“.

STARTING OFF THE WEEK WITH A GREAT MARQUETTE COUNTY TRADITION AND MORE!

STARTIN' THE WEEK DRESSED TO THE NINES AND FEELIN' FINE!

So as the new work week presented itself, we bravely stepped forward into the abyss with our heads held high and our spirits strong!

Time change be cursed, we moved full speed ahead and brought you the requisite dumb criminals, musical information significant to today’s date, Main Street Monday and a lot more! Congratulations, by the way, to Craig for winning today’s MSM by knowing we were looking for the classic Muppet, Animal!

We also chatted with folks about this week’s Pigs -N -Heat Charity Hockey Game and here’s what we found out:

IT’S TIME ONCE AGAIN FOR PIGS – N – HEAT!

PIGS - N- HEAT!

Thanks to Brian Olson and Jim Finkbeiner for stopping by the Sunny studios to chat about an annual Marquette County tradition that helps out a great cause. The annual Pigs -N- Heat Charity Hockey game is this Wednesday at 7-pm at Marquette’s Lakeview Arena. The game draws between 3,000 and 4,500 people, raising approximately $10,000-$14,000. The 2010 game had total ticket sales of over $17,500. Since its inception, the Pigs -N- Heat Fire Relief Fund has generated more than $336,000 and more than $240,000 has been distributed to Marquette County families who have suffered losses due to fire. The fund pays for three nights of lodging in a motel and a check to help the family start over.

Support for the Pigs-N-Heat Fire Relief Fund has grown over the years, now including participation representing fire departments from the cities of Marquette,Negaunee, and Ishpeming; as well as the townships of Marquette, Chocolay, Sands, Skandia/West Branch, Negaunee, Ishpeming, Richmond, Forsyth, Republic, Powell, Michigamme, Wells, Champion and Republic.

Participation from local police departments includes: Marquette City, Marquette County Sheriff, Michigan State Police, Negaunee, Northern Michigan University Public Safety, Ishpeming and the Department of Corrections.

To listen to Brian and Jim’s interview, please click “HERE“. For more information about the game and other events and activities coming up in Marquette, please click “HERE“.

Thanks to Kim Kee and Diana Oman for stopping by the studios this morning to chat about a special event coming up tomorrow on the campus of Northern Michigan University that features a natural and holistic approach to to staying healthy and treating illness. The 12th annual Spring Holistic Health Fair and Alternative Health Festival is being held at the Great Lakes Rooms of the University Center. It runs from 10am to 4pm and is open to the public. To find out more about the event and how you can get involved, please click “HERE” to listen to the interview with Kim and Diana. To find out more about the holistic approach to health care and healthy living, please click “HERE“.

HAVE A GREAT AND HEALTHY WEEKEND!

Stay tuned to the blog, folks! Next week is going to be jam-packed with interviews and information you won’t want to miss!

.LOW PRESSURE OVER THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY WILL MOVE
NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHERN OHIO TONIGHT. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING
WIDESPREAD SNOW ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN TODAY. THE GREATEST SNOWFALL
AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN.

.LOW PRESSURE OVER THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY WILL MOVE
NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHERN OHIO TONIGHT. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING
WIDESPREAD SNOW ACROSS UPPER MICHIGAN TODAY. THE GREATEST SNOWFALL
AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN.